Ring pull closure cap



May 27, 1969 5. J. KOLL ETAL RING PULL CLOSURE CAP Filed Aug. 15, 1966 STANLEY J AKQLL 00d IN\/EJ\"I UR. THO AS 6. MULLER A TTOANEY.

Utcd States Patent 3,446,382 RING PULL CLOSURE CAP Stanley J. Koll, Keausburg, and Thomas G. Moller, Railway, N.J., assignors to American Flange & Manufacturing Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 572,519 Int. Cl. B65d 43/00 US. Cl. 21546 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lightweight metal closure cap for containers, provided with a tear strip to effect structural removal of the cap from the container opening. A ring shaped gripping ear is integral with said tear strip to facilitate tearing.

This invention relates to hand removable metal closure caps for containers and is particularly concerned with such caps provided with a ring shaped tearing ear adapted for reception of a persons finger.

Although the art of scoring lightweight metal closure caps to facilitate easy hand removal by tearing has been developed to a high degree, there still exist certain conditions under which difiiculty may be encountered in removing the cap by means of a force applied through ones fingers to a simple gripping ear. In order to overcome any possible inconvenience in such removal it has been proposed to provide a ring shaped gripping ear which would enable one to positively grip the ear, through insertion of a single finger, and exert a pulling force far in excess of that possible with a conventional imperforate gripping ear and with far greater ease than the finger pinching action needed to pull an imperforate ear allows.

Going a step further, it has been found that a number of factors must be considered respecting the specific ring formation. The elimination of any sharp protruding edges is essential to avoid the possibility of injury. The ring must be rigid enough to withstand the abuse of normal handling without distorting. It is also important that there be suflicient body in the ring formation to avoid any discomfort when a substantial finger applied pulling force is exerted. A formation which is not readily susceptible to collecting dirt and other foreign matter is desirable as such caps are commonly employed in the beverage field where cleanliness is essential. These and other factors, including of course, material and manu facturing cost, have been advantageously provided for in the cap of the invention.

It is accordingly a principal object of this invention to provide new and improved hand removable tear off closure caps.

Another object is to provide such closure caps having a new and improved ring shaped tearing ear.

A further object is to provide such closure caps having a ring shaped tearing ear specially formed to give maximum safety and comfort upon exertion of a finger applied tearing force.

Other and more detailed objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out as the description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing proceeds.

In that drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the closure cap in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the ring shaped tear ing ear taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on lines 4-4 of 3,446,382 Patented May 27, 1969 FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on lines 5--5 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The closure cap of the invention, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is formed out of lightweight sheet metal and is seen to comprise a disc like top portion 1 having a cylindrical skirt 2 depending therefrom and terminating in a substantially circular free edge 2a. Integrally formed within the top 1 and skirt 2 of the cap is a tear strip 3 which is defined by a pair of tearing lines 4 and 5 weakened for that purpose such as by scoring. The tear strip 3, as seen in FIG. 2, extends downwardly beyond the free edge 2a to form a short extension 6 of the skirt 2 and is bordered on either side at its departure from the skirt by an inverted V-shaped notch 7 which aids in the accurate commencement of the tearing of the tear strip at the point where the tear strip joins the cap skirt. Extending radially outwardly and downwardly at an approximate 15 degree angle is a ring shaped tearing ear generally indicated by the numeral 10. The ring configuration is formed in a base panel extending away from the skirt extension 6 in a flat neck portion 11 which in turn merges into an annular base panel portion 12 having a convexly curved upper surface as seen in FIG. 4.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4 it can be seen that throughout a major part of the outer periphery of the ring the base panel portion 12 is curled downwardly and radially inwardly at 13. Extending from the outer curled edge 13 is an inner radially inwardly extending fold portion 14 terminating in a radially inwardly facing free edge 15. The fold portion 14 terminates in side edges 17 at the point where the base panel portion 12 blends into neck portion 11. The side edges 17 join the inwardly facing edge 15 at the arcuately shaped corners 17a. In FIG. 3 it can be seen that not only do sides 11:: of the neck portion 11 blend into the annular portion 12, as indicated at 16, along a gradually curved line but in addition the side edges 17 of the inner fold portion 14 forms a wide angle with the side edge 11a. The specific formation above described reduces to a minimum the possibility of cutting ones finger on either the side edges 17 or the juncture of the side edge 11a with the outer curled edge 13 during removal of the cap from a container.

Throughout the major portion of the inner periphery of the ring 10' the annular base panel portion 12 is curled downwardly and radially outwardly at 18 forming the inner peripheral edge of the ring. Extending radially outwardly from the inner curled edge 18 is an outer fold portion 19 terminating in a radially outwardly facing free edge 20. The inner curled edge 18 is larger than the outer curled edge 13 so that the outer fold portion 19 overlies a portion of the inner fold portion 14 and is slightly spaced therefrom. Here again the likelihood of injury is minimized by having the free edge 15, and the corners 17a covered by the outer fold portion 19 so that the pulling force is not exerted against a metal edge. Furthermore the larger radius of the curved edge 18 provides a surface against which a substantial pulling force may 'be exerted with relative ease and comfort.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 5 it can be seen that in the area of the neck portion 11 the part of the outer fold portion, indicated by numeral 19a, extending between the side edges 17 is curled against the neck portion 11 with the free edge 20a pressed against the neck portion 11 resulting in a more tightly curled edge 18a in this area. This construction eliminates any protruding metal edge upon which injury might be sustained. From the foregoing it is apparent that the ring pull cap of the invention has distinct advantages over prior art constructions in that the ring is completely void of any protruding metal edges which could if present result in a cut finger upon removal. The improved form of the ring provides suflicient rigidity and strength to prevent damage or undue distortion thereof either during mechanical handling of the cap prior to application or during removal. In addition the ring form has sufiicient bulk to enable a substantial pull to be exerted thereon without discomfort. At the same time the ring form its inner void space, indicated by numeral 21 in FIG. 4, sufficiently closed off so as to prevent the accumulation of dirt therein.

Since variation and modifications in the construction of the ring pull closure cap as described in the foregoing and shown in the accompanying drawing, may readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the same can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is accordingly intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted in an illustration and not in a limiting sense.

Having described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hand removable lightweight metal closure cap comprising a disc-like top portion, a laterally depending skirt therearound terminating in a substantially circular free edge, a pair of weakened tearing lines extending across said cap skirt, and into said cap top portion, said lines defining a tear strip therebetween forming an integral part of said cap skirt and top portion, said tear strip extending downwardly away from said free edge in a short extension of said skirt and then extending radially outwardly away from said skirt in a ring shaped tearing ear, said car comprising a base panel commencing in a neck portion flaring outwardly in its extent from said skirt extension so as to merge into an annular base panel portion, a major portion of the outer periphery of said annular base panel portion being curled downwardly and terminating in a radially inwardly extending open fold portion, the inner periphery of said annular base portion being curled downwardly and terminating in a radially outwardly extending fold portion and said radially inwardly extending fold portion being vertically spaced from said radially outwardly extending fold portion so that said fold portions are overlapped in a radial direction.

2. A hand removable lightweight metal closure cap comprising a disc-like top portion, a laterally depending skirt therearound terminating in a substantially circular free edge, a pair of weakened tearing lines extending across said cap skirt and into Said cap top portion, said lines defining a tear strip therebetween forming an integral part of said cap strip extending downwardly way from said free edge in a short extension of said skirt and then extending radially outwardly away from said skirt in a ring shaped tearing ear, said ear comprising a base panel commencing in a neck portion flaring outwardly in its extent from skirt and top portion, said tear said skirt extension so as to merge into an annular base panel portion, a major portion of the outer periphery of said annular base panel portion being curled downwardly and terminating in a radially inwardly extending fold portion, the inner periphery of said annular base portion being curled downwardly and terminating in a radially outwardly extending fold portion and the portion of the inner periphery of said annular base portion adjacent said neck portion being curled about a smaller radius than the remainder of the inner periphery of said annular base portion.

3. A hand removable lightweight metal closure cap as in claim 2 wherein the portion of said radially outwardly extending fold portion underlying said neck portion terminates in its radial extent at a position closely adjacent said neck portion.

4. A hand removable lightweight metal closure cap comprising a disc-like top portion, a laterally depending skirt therearound terminating in a substantially circular free edge, a pair of weakened tearing lines extending across said cap skirt and into said cap top portion, said lines defining a tear strip therebetween forming in integral part of said cap skirt and top portion, said tear strip extending downwardly away from said freeedge in a short extension of said skirt and then extending radially outwardly away from said skirt in a ring shaped tearing ear, said ear comprising a base panel commencing in a neck portion flaring outwardly in its extent from said skirt extension so as to merge into an annular base panel portion, a major portionof the outer periphery of said annular base panel portion being curled downwardly and terminating in a radially inwardly extending fold portion, the inner periphery of said annular base portion being curled downwardly and terminating in a radially outwardly extending fold portion, said radially outwardly extending fold portion overlying said radially inwardly extending fold portion so that said fold portions are overlapped in a radial direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D 198,342 6/1964 Taylor et al 21546 X 3,130,056 4/1964 Taylor et a1 21546 X 3,186,582 6/1965 Henchert 22054 3,195,756 7/1965 Luviano 215-46 3,216,602 11/1965 K011 215-46 3,272,382 9/1966 Stec 22054 3,348,726 10/1967 La Cross 220-54 3,349,949 10/1967 Brown et a1 22054 3,380,609 4/1968 Potts 21540 FOREIGN PATENTS 473,421 7/ 1952 Italy.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

